The atmosphere is electric with shoppers choosing and buying, sellers handing out samples, weighing, socialising and SPRUIKING!! Spruiking is like a competitive sport at the market. Each stall holder shouting out, one after another, getting louder and louder and louder until the noise is deafening. I caught my girls walking along with their hands over their ears more than once.

The varieties! The smells! The personalities! The foods I've never seen before and have no idea what they are. The lack of sterile health regulations governing stall holders. The dude above was smoking that cigar while filleting fish and serving customers and no one seemed to notice!

And there was masses of new season's garlic grown in the desert. How gorgeous is that wreath. I'm going to have to have a go at making one of them next season I think.

There was fun new fruit to try, like pomellos and cups filled with pomegranate seeds.

And vintage cigarette displays!!

Can you imagine cigarettes for sale at one of our farmer's markets?!?

And see those roll ups in the middle of that display? They are dried apricot and I have been dreaming of them for 20 years. They don't taste anything like the roll ups we make or buy back home. They are absolutely delicious. I used to buy one every time I caught a bus from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv way back then. And slowly tear little bits off and nibble them. I could make one last the entire one hour's drive. My girls aren't so patient, the one we bought at market was gobbled up less that five minutes after it was unwrapped.

The hardest part of our visit to Machane Yehuda was holding ourselves back from buying everything. EVERYTHING!! Somebody mentioned that this trip will be a 5kg trip, but it could so easily blow out and become 10kg.

We're heading down south tomorrow morning early. I think my girlies will be happy to get out of the city for a while. Our time is speeding by, it's been a week already. But oh what a week.

Bren's on the bed watching a movie with Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, I'm off to finish packing and then I'll join him.

Thank you guys so much for your lovely comments, I'm so loving taking you along on our journey.

What a feast for the eyes. Such beautiful photographs. You are obviously having a great trip and I hope the remainder is as awesome. It is bitterly cold here but your lovely post is making it feel quite balmy!

Loving your holiday pictures , wishing I could smell and hear it too. I have never been too this part of the world - it looks fascinating , think I might have to add Israel to our list! Thanks for sharing.

Kate, your photos are so beautiful. I am aching to travel afar again. Absolutely love all these market photos, what a fab trip it has been so far (for us readers back home too) Thanks so much for sharing!

oh kate, you have me dreaming of a foodie tour of jerusalem. my current favorite food is pomegranite and i bet they taste so much better there. that cigarette display is so pretty it would almost make me take up smoking (almost) thank you for letting me tag along, your photos almost let me smell the smells

Oh Kate, i was so amazed and excited to see the words "Machne Yehuda"! Is it real? Did i read it right? Is she in Israel?? The auzzie farmer?.... I didn't check the mail much lately because the Pessach so i almost missed you guys... If you are heading north to the galilee you're more than welcome to our home for coffee, cake, good meal or overnight stay- whatever you need :-) Enjoy your stay , Shalom and Hag Sameach

Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos and eloquent descriptions of the market. I can feel the excitement. The garlic wreaths are a neat item-unlike the ones I have seen in Gilroy California, the garlic growing capital of the American west. The flavor of the market shines thru your words.

I am really loving your holiday snaps. Thanks so much for taking us along on a very interesting ride. Your comment about the cigarette display made me giggle. Hope the rest of your holiday is fantastic.

Hi, I love your blog and always try to follow what you are up to, but haven't had a chance to have a look in a while. Imagine my surprise when I opened up after a long time today to see that you are in Israel!!!

If you read this comment while you are still here, and if you are by any chance in the Ashkelon area, please contact me. I'd love to meet you and show you around.

Hi, I love your blog and always try to follow what you are up to, but haven't had a chance to have a look in a while. Imagine my surprise when I opened up after a long time today to see that you are in Israel!!!

If you read this comment while you are still here, and if you are by any chance in the Ashkelon area, please contact me. I'd love to meet you and show you around.

Oh you know, quiet time hanging out during the school holidays. I am loving coming along with you for the journey - so exciting. Find the eastern influences very appealing - loved watching Ottolenghi's show in the region recently - the food is so delish!

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.